Delhi-Meerut RRTS may get a big boost from ADB! Know about the 160 kmph rapid rail project

Funding process is led by the Central government and the government has presented this project to ADB. The concept paper has been approved and ADB is now in formal discussions for giving the approval for funding RRTS corridor project.

ADB is said to be in formal discussions for giving in-principle approval for financing the rapid rail corridor between Delhi and Meerut

Delhi-Meerut RRTS: India’s first RRTS (Regional Rapid Transit System) project connecting Delhi-NCR to Meerut is set to receive a big boost! In a recent development, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is said to be in formal discussions for giving in-principle approval for financing the upcoming rapid rail corridor between Delhi and Meerut. Sources told Financial Express Online that this funding process is led by the Central government and the government has presented this project to the ADB. The concept paper towards this process has been approved and ADB is now in formal discussions for finally giving the principle approval for funding the RRTS corridor project.

ADB Director General (South Asia) Hun Kim was quoted in a PTI report saying that the rapid rail project between Delhi and Meerut is a huge project and ADB is also looking to co-finance with other multilateral funding agencies including the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Meanwhile earlier this year, the Union Cabinet had approved the regional rail corridor between Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut. The proposal was approved by the government for the construction of this corridor covering a distance of 82.15 kilometres at a total completion cost of Rs 30,274 crore.

Once operational, the Delhi Meerut rapid rail corridor will cover the distance between the two cities in less than 60 minutes. Also, the priority section of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor, which is from Sahibabad to Duhai is targeted for completion by the month of March in 2023. The rapid rail coaches will be manufactured under the ‘Make in India’ initiative and will be capable of travelling at speeds of up to 160 kmph.

The RRTS project is a first of its kind, high speed, rail-based regional transit system which will be implemented in the country. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) which is the nodal agency responsible for implementing the RRTS project has already started construction activities for the corridor, such as, initial pile load test, geo-technical investigation and underground utility mapping.